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Most Ardently Yours
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Expected 7 Jul 26Win a free print copy of this book!
6 days and 02:22:54
10 copies available
U.S. only
From USA Today Bestselling author Freya Sampson comes a swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud romance inspired by Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice that begs the question: what if your book boyfriend jumped from the pages of their story and into your life?
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of many romance novels, must be in want of a book boyfriend."
Zoe Knight, a struggling romance writer, has sworn off men for good. At least…the ones in real life. Once a believer in a happily ever after, she now curbs her loneliness with the help of the best book boyfriends in literature – and there is no better man than Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy. So when she stumbles into a classic London bookshop and argues with the annoyingly attractive store owner, Nick, who refuses to sell romance novels, she decides to liberate him of a dusty copy of Pride & Prejudice abandoned on a top shelf.
But this is no ordinary book.
After reading from the pages, Zoe finds herself in a remarkable situation: she has accidentally summoned the Mr. Darcy to the real world. Now, she's face-to-face with the man she's loved forever, and he's everything she dreamed he would be. Handsome? Check. Brooding? Check. Talks like he swallowed a thesaurus? Check and check. But even in all his regency perfection, can he ever be as good as in the novel? And if he's here, in her London apartment trying to figure out how to work a shower , what will happen to the literary world he came from? With Nick—the last man she could ever be prevailed upon to work with—urging her to send the fictional Darcy back to his own story, Zoe will have to decide what she really wants from a happy ending, before it's too late.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of many romance novels, must be in want of a book boyfriend."
Zoe Knight, a struggling romance writer, has sworn off men for good. At least…the ones in real life. Once a believer in a happily ever after, she now curbs her loneliness with the help of the best book boyfriends in literature – and there is no better man than Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy. So when she stumbles into a classic London bookshop and argues with the annoyingly attractive store owner, Nick, who refuses to sell romance novels, she decides to liberate him of a dusty copy of Pride & Prejudice abandoned on a top shelf.
But this is no ordinary book.
After reading from the pages, Zoe finds herself in a remarkable situation: she has accidentally summoned the Mr. Darcy to the real world. Now, she's face-to-face with the man she's loved forever, and he's everything she dreamed he would be. Handsome? Check. Brooding? Check. Talks like he swallowed a thesaurus? Check and check. But even in all his regency perfection, can he ever be as good as in the novel? And if he's here, in her London apartment trying to figure out how to work a shower , what will happen to the literary world he came from? With Nick—the last man she could ever be prevailed upon to work with—urging her to send the fictional Darcy back to his own story, Zoe will have to decide what she really wants from a happy ending, before it's too late.
320 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 7, 2026
31 people are currently reading
11459 people want to read
About the author
Freya Sampson
7 books1,664 followersFreya Sampson is the USA Today bestselling author of The Last Chance Library and The Lost Ticket/The Girl on the 88 Bus. She studied history at Cambridge University and worked in television as an executive producer, making documentaries about everything from the British royal family to neighbours from hell. She lives in London with her husband, children and cats. Nosy Neighbours is her third novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
March 17, 2026
As someone who has enjoyed Freya Sampson’s other work and always eagerly anticipates her upcoming books, I am sad to say that this book fell flat for me.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
The premise of the book is cute: our beloved Mr. Darcy shows up in the real modern world! I was excited to see how he would navigate his surroundings while figuring out (with the help of the protagonist) how to get back to his own world in Pride and Prejudice.
But, unfortunately, the pacing of the book dragged on for too long. While this is a rom-com/magical realism book, it was riddled with plot holes and unrealistic plot lines.
Let’s start with how the FMC managed to get Mr. Darcy out of the Pride and Prejudice book and into the real world. By the end of the book, there still isn’t any clear-cut explanation of how she managed to do it. The MMC (who is NOT Mr. Darcy, just to be clear — the MMC is a bookstore owner) tells her that his female relatives were the only people to ever bring fictional characters into life — their powers skipped him because apparently only his female relatives have these magical abilities. No mention of witchcraft, no mention of other magical powers. Just the power of summoning fictional characters into real life without any explanation other than, “If someone has a specific problem they need help with, then my relatives magically will the characters out of the book and into that person’s life to help them resolve their issues.”
How did his relatives get these powers? What other things do they do? How is it that these are the only powers they seemingly have and nothing else? And is it only hereditary? Do other people have these powers? If it’s hereditary through the female bloodline, why does the FMC have these powers, then?
At the end of the book, the MMC suggests (per his mom’s theory) that the FMC must have summoned Mr. Darcy because she was totally in love with the MMC and therefore was able to “read Mr. Darcy out of the book.” The FMC then suggests that maybe she managed to summon Mr. Darcy so he could teach her that she didn’t need to have a romantic relationship with anyone in order to fulfill her life (or something like that — I still don’t get the whole reasoning behind it, to be honest). This still doesn’t explain how the MMC’s mom and relatives gained their own powers and what other things they can do so I’m still scratching my head over that.
The MMC also lets the FMC know that the reason their family secret (summoning characters out of books) never got out beyond the bookstore was because “readers are trusted to not leak the secret so they didn’t say anything.” Which makes no sense because we can’t just blindly trust strangers to not gossip about unusual things like summoning fictional characters out of books.
Then let’s get to Mr. Darcy. The beauty of Mr. Darcy (in my opinion) in Pride and Prejudice is that he’s this gruff, arrogant, yet sweet character, who stays quiet and observant throughout Jane Austen’s book and has a good head on his shoulders. Unfortunately, this book doesn’t really pay homage to his original characterization in Pride and Prejudice. I understand that he was set into a new world and was unsteady on his feet, but their interactions throughout the story were not anything like I understood Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s original work.
The plot also takes a sharp turn 60-70% into the book, when I thought the plot was close to resolved. (By this point, Mr. Darcy is already back in Pride and Prejudice.) Suddenly, the FMC got stuck in Mr. Darcy’s world where she meets the MMC’s mom (who is revealed to have been stuck there for years). Again, there’s no real explanation as to how she got into the book other than “she wished to visit Mr. Darcy in Netherfield.”
Then the MMC got sucked into their world to try to get both of them back out into their real world — by getting his nearly-dying aunt to somehow magically will him into it. How does a nearly-dying woman who is in hospice manage to do that? And again: How did the FMC gain these powers to begin with?? We then see the FMC will herself out of the Pride and Prejudice book but, for some reason, couldn’t get the MMC out, which there is no explanation for. This added plot line ended up dragging out the pacing for me, and by that time, I was checking how long it would take to finish the book.
The relationship between the FMC and MMC was unfortunately not very well flushed-out. Her scenes with Mr. Darcy and her confused feelings for him were so dragged out that they took place of all interactions she could’ve had with the MMC. We start with her and the MMC’s “meet-cute” (and I say this loosely) where she ends up hating him for no reason other than he doesn’t stock romance books in his bookstore. Then there are more scenes where she mistreats the MMC, and suddenly they have the hots for each other, while he helps her get Mr. Darcy back into the book, and then they get sucked into P&P where they make out. In other words, it was whiplash. I was baffled and had no idea when exactly they fell in love.
Overall, I do appreciate that the author attempted a romantic comedy for the first time. Like I said, I adore all of her other books! My favorite ones, personally, were The Last Chance Library and Nosy Neighbors. Both books had such great characterizations and plots which I was hoping to see in this book. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past the plot holes. I’d have to suspend my disbelief completely in order to enjoy it.
That being said, I look forward to reading more of her work in the future and seeing how she improves her writing in the romantic comedy genre.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
The premise of the book is cute: our beloved Mr. Darcy shows up in the real modern world! I was excited to see how he would navigate his surroundings while figuring out (with the help of the protagonist) how to get back to his own world in Pride and Prejudice.
But, unfortunately, the pacing of the book dragged on for too long. While this is a rom-com/magical realism book, it was riddled with plot holes and unrealistic plot lines.
Let’s start with how the FMC managed to get Mr. Darcy out of the Pride and Prejudice book and into the real world. By the end of the book, there still isn’t any clear-cut explanation of how she managed to do it. The MMC (who is NOT Mr. Darcy, just to be clear — the MMC is a bookstore owner) tells her that his female relatives were the only people to ever bring fictional characters into life — their powers skipped him because apparently only his female relatives have these magical abilities. No mention of witchcraft, no mention of other magical powers. Just the power of summoning fictional characters into real life without any explanation other than, “If someone has a specific problem they need help with, then my relatives magically will the characters out of the book and into that person’s life to help them resolve their issues.”
How did his relatives get these powers? What other things do they do? How is it that these are the only powers they seemingly have and nothing else? And is it only hereditary? Do other people have these powers? If it’s hereditary through the female bloodline, why does the FMC have these powers, then?
At the end of the book, the MMC suggests (per his mom’s theory) that the FMC must have summoned Mr. Darcy because she was totally in love with the MMC and therefore was able to “read Mr. Darcy out of the book.” The FMC then suggests that maybe she managed to summon Mr. Darcy so he could teach her that she didn’t need to have a romantic relationship with anyone in order to fulfill her life (or something like that — I still don’t get the whole reasoning behind it, to be honest). This still doesn’t explain how the MMC’s mom and relatives gained their own powers and what other things they can do so I’m still scratching my head over that.
The MMC also lets the FMC know that the reason their family secret (summoning characters out of books) never got out beyond the bookstore was because “readers are trusted to not leak the secret so they didn’t say anything.” Which makes no sense because we can’t just blindly trust strangers to not gossip about unusual things like summoning fictional characters out of books.
Then let’s get to Mr. Darcy. The beauty of Mr. Darcy (in my opinion) in Pride and Prejudice is that he’s this gruff, arrogant, yet sweet character, who stays quiet and observant throughout Jane Austen’s book and has a good head on his shoulders. Unfortunately, this book doesn’t really pay homage to his original characterization in Pride and Prejudice. I understand that he was set into a new world and was unsteady on his feet, but their interactions throughout the story were not anything like I understood Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s original work.
The plot also takes a sharp turn 60-70% into the book, when I thought the plot was close to resolved. (By this point, Mr. Darcy is already back in Pride and Prejudice.) Suddenly, the FMC got stuck in Mr. Darcy’s world where she meets the MMC’s mom (who is revealed to have been stuck there for years). Again, there’s no real explanation as to how she got into the book other than “she wished to visit Mr. Darcy in Netherfield.”
Then the MMC got sucked into their world to try to get both of them back out into their real world — by getting his nearly-dying aunt to somehow magically will him into it. How does a nearly-dying woman who is in hospice manage to do that? And again: How did the FMC gain these powers to begin with?? We then see the FMC will herself out of the Pride and Prejudice book but, for some reason, couldn’t get the MMC out, which there is no explanation for. This added plot line ended up dragging out the pacing for me, and by that time, I was checking how long it would take to finish the book.
The relationship between the FMC and MMC was unfortunately not very well flushed-out. Her scenes with Mr. Darcy and her confused feelings for him were so dragged out that they took place of all interactions she could’ve had with the MMC. We start with her and the MMC’s “meet-cute” (and I say this loosely) where she ends up hating him for no reason other than he doesn’t stock romance books in his bookstore. Then there are more scenes where she mistreats the MMC, and suddenly they have the hots for each other, while he helps her get Mr. Darcy back into the book, and then they get sucked into P&P where they make out. In other words, it was whiplash. I was baffled and had no idea when exactly they fell in love.
Overall, I do appreciate that the author attempted a romantic comedy for the first time. Like I said, I adore all of her other books! My favorite ones, personally, were The Last Chance Library and Nosy Neighbors. Both books had such great characterizations and plots which I was hoping to see in this book. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past the plot holes. I’d have to suspend my disbelief completely in order to enjoy it.
That being said, I look forward to reading more of her work in the future and seeing how she improves her writing in the romantic comedy genre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2026
Freya Sampson just gave us a charming, heart‑warming rom‑com with characters who feel real and good banter. A soft, wholesome slow burn — perfect for romance readers who can definitely, at least once, had the same desire of materialising their favourite book boyfriend into reality 😅
This is a story that slowly warms you from the inside out.
While the first half leans gentle and steady, the action really picks up around the 70% mark, and that’s when I got completely hooked. This is why the book gets 4 ⭐ from my side - I wasn’t hooked from the beginning but it really grew on me and definitely the last 30% of the book won me over.
The writing is easy to follow, the supporting characters are greatly built and add a lot to the charm and wit of the story (Mrs Atallah being my favourite ❤️).
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This is a story that slowly warms you from the inside out.
While the first half leans gentle and steady, the action really picks up around the 70% mark, and that’s when I got completely hooked. This is why the book gets 4 ⭐ from my side - I wasn’t hooked from the beginning but it really grew on me and definitely the last 30% of the book won me over.
The writing is easy to follow, the supporting characters are greatly built and add a lot to the charm and wit of the story (Mrs Atallah being my favourite ❤️).
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson will be released in the United States on July 7, 2026.
Zoe Knight is not quite living her dream as an aspiring writer. She’s given up on writing her own romance novel, but she still devours romance books all the time, even if she doesn’t feel confident enough to write them any longer. As the book begins, her a-hole ex-boyfriend is being celebrated for writing a literary novel. She spends her days as a waitress at a Great Expectations-literary-themed café, until some excitement enters her life the day she steals a mysterious copy of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice from a grumpy bookstore owner named Nick (yes, he also happens to be hot with misguided taste in literature). Zoe has no clue why Nick even had one of the best romantic novels of all time at his bookstore, when he said he refuses to sell romances and doesn’t believe in happily ever afters…
A hint of literary magic is sprinkled over Zoe’s life after she reads aloud from Pride and Prejudice, magical edition, and the next day, a man who claims to be Fitzwilliam Darcy, dressed in full Regency-era clothing, shows up at the café where she works. Intending to take him to the hospital, instead she can’t resist spending some time with him. Lots of funny hijinks ensue, including Darcy’s love affair with reality television. It seems like Zoe is trying to fall in love with Darcy, her literary crush since she was a teenager, but she can’t stop thinking about Nick Baskerville of Baskerville Books.
Things get even crazier when Darcy realizes he’s not meant to be in contemporary London, and let’s just say Zoe and Nick will have to team up and figure out how to harness some literary magic through an unorthodox tour of Longbourn and Pemberley.
Mixed Reviews, Just Go For It
Some readers mentioned they were not fans of the third act, because there are some curveballs there, plot-wise, but I just went along with it and had fun without thinking too hard about plot holes or anything. You have to suspend some disbelief and just go with the flow and then you’ll enjoy the book all the way through.
Bookalikes
Most Ardently Yours is for Pride and Prejudice fans and romance readers who like books set in bookstores, as well those who enjoyed A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston and Austenland by Shannon Hale.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Zoe Knight is not quite living her dream as an aspiring writer. She’s given up on writing her own romance novel, but she still devours romance books all the time, even if she doesn’t feel confident enough to write them any longer. As the book begins, her a-hole ex-boyfriend is being celebrated for writing a literary novel. She spends her days as a waitress at a Great Expectations-literary-themed café, until some excitement enters her life the day she steals a mysterious copy of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice from a grumpy bookstore owner named Nick (yes, he also happens to be hot with misguided taste in literature). Zoe has no clue why Nick even had one of the best romantic novels of all time at his bookstore, when he said he refuses to sell romances and doesn’t believe in happily ever afters…
A hint of literary magic is sprinkled over Zoe’s life after she reads aloud from Pride and Prejudice, magical edition, and the next day, a man who claims to be Fitzwilliam Darcy, dressed in full Regency-era clothing, shows up at the café where she works. Intending to take him to the hospital, instead she can’t resist spending some time with him. Lots of funny hijinks ensue, including Darcy’s love affair with reality television. It seems like Zoe is trying to fall in love with Darcy, her literary crush since she was a teenager, but she can’t stop thinking about Nick Baskerville of Baskerville Books.
Things get even crazier when Darcy realizes he’s not meant to be in contemporary London, and let’s just say Zoe and Nick will have to team up and figure out how to harness some literary magic through an unorthodox tour of Longbourn and Pemberley.
Mixed Reviews, Just Go For It
Some readers mentioned they were not fans of the third act, because there are some curveballs there, plot-wise, but I just went along with it and had fun without thinking too hard about plot holes or anything. You have to suspend some disbelief and just go with the flow and then you’ll enjoy the book all the way through.
Bookalikes
Most Ardently Yours is for Pride and Prejudice fans and romance readers who like books set in bookstores, as well those who enjoyed A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston and Austenland by Shannon Hale.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Did Not Finish
January 25, 2026DNF at 22%
This had really cool potential but I actually strongly disliked this. Right off the bat I got the ick from the FMC at their meet-ugly when she goes into the MMCs bookstore after it’s closed, gets everything wet, basically calls him a loser for not liking all kinds of books (specifically romance) and then decides stealing from him is warranted. I couldn’t tell you of the couple had any chemistry or banter because for 22% that’s the only scene they have together. The FMC continues to be annoying and unlikable for the duration of the book that I made it through and the MMC is not featured again in that time , just Mr. Darcy. She initially thinks Mr Darcy is someone “having an episode” and decides taking him home with her is best for everyone (I DNF shortly after).
If pride and prejudice is your favorite book, this is probably right up your alley but there were just too many red flags for me to keep my interest.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exhange for an honest review. Sorry this wasn’t for me.
This had really cool potential but I actually strongly disliked this. Right off the bat I got the ick from the FMC at their meet-ugly when she goes into the MMCs bookstore after it’s closed, gets everything wet, basically calls him a loser for not liking all kinds of books (specifically romance) and then decides stealing from him is warranted. I couldn’t tell you of the couple had any chemistry or banter because for 22% that’s the only scene they have together. The FMC continues to be annoying and unlikable for the duration of the book that I made it through and the MMC is not featured again in that time , just Mr. Darcy. She initially thinks Mr Darcy is someone “having an episode” and decides taking him home with her is best for everyone (I DNF shortly after).
If pride and prejudice is your favorite book, this is probably right up your alley but there were just too many red flags for me to keep my interest.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exhange for an honest review. Sorry this wasn’t for me.
December 23, 2025
3.5⭐
Cute novel, where Fitzwilliam Darcy magically gets transported from book to real life. The plot is quite a bit more involved than that, and as is, this novel is good. Seeing as there is more than 6 months until publication, I'm hoping for some oomph to be added during editing. The writing is fine, the plot is fine, but there is repetition throughout which could be replaced with more detailed scenes, and injected with actual humour. There was a scene between Zoe and Nick which had them laughing until they wept tears, but was not even remotely funny for the reader. I think this book can be a Hallmark movie of the week, but would rather it be punched up to become a Netflix rom-com.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Cute novel, where Fitzwilliam Darcy magically gets transported from book to real life. The plot is quite a bit more involved than that, and as is, this novel is good. Seeing as there is more than 6 months until publication, I'm hoping for some oomph to be added during editing. The writing is fine, the plot is fine, but there is repetition throughout which could be replaced with more detailed scenes, and injected with actual humour. There was a scene between Zoe and Nick which had them laughing until they wept tears, but was not even remotely funny for the reader. I think this book can be a Hallmark movie of the week, but would rather it be punched up to become a Netflix rom-com.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
February 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
A charming, enchanting story of Mr. Darcy coming into reality. Zoe Knight is a woman down on her luck, stuck in her day-to-day routine while feeling lonely and isolated. After happening upon a male-dominated bookshop lacking in romance titles, she steals a copy of Pride and Prejudice and manages to bring Mr. Darcy into the present day in front of her. She grows attached to her long-time favorite “book boyfriend”, but soon realizes that keeping Mr. Darcy may wipe Pride and Prejudice off the face of the Earth. A story of finding yourself and knowing your self worth, this is definitely a delightful read, perfect for Jane Austen fans and romance aficionados.
A charming, enchanting story of Mr. Darcy coming into reality. Zoe Knight is a woman down on her luck, stuck in her day-to-day routine while feeling lonely and isolated. After happening upon a male-dominated bookshop lacking in romance titles, she steals a copy of Pride and Prejudice and manages to bring Mr. Darcy into the present day in front of her. She grows attached to her long-time favorite “book boyfriend”, but soon realizes that keeping Mr. Darcy may wipe Pride and Prejudice off the face of the Earth. A story of finding yourself and knowing your self worth, this is definitely a delightful read, perfect for Jane Austen fans and romance aficionados.
May 6, 2026
A fun literary romance filled with books, some well known characters from a beloved classic, and maybe a new favorite book boyfriend.
Zoe Knight is a passionate reader, a defender of romance novels and, particularly, a champion for Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy. She's quite an endearing character, even though the reader knows perfectly well that what she's doing, the secret she's keeping, is wrong. But, seriously, wouldn't we all do the same if something like that happened to us? Anyway, I loved how fierce Zoe was when it came to books, especially romance novels.
I enjoyed the way it was written, it managed to keep my interest peeked at all times. The fact that it addressed the reader made it even more fun and engaging. Yes, Zoe, we are very curious spectators indeed.
This book surprised me in more ways than I had anticipated. First with its plot twists I didn't see coming and then with the warm, almost fuzzy feeling it left me after finishing it. And that feeling doesn't just come from the romance, which I absolutely enjoyed and would have liked a few more scenes between the characters, but from the message it very clearly conveys. We can easily forget why we do the things we love and let others influence us. And that's just wrong.
Aside from some very convenient coincidences and the short development of the romance, I had a great time reading Most Ardently Yours. It tought me and showed me to value romance books, to believe in myself and to never give up what makes me happy.
I'm so glad I read this book.
Zoe Knight is a passionate reader, a defender of romance novels and, particularly, a champion for Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy. She's quite an endearing character, even though the reader knows perfectly well that what she's doing, the secret she's keeping, is wrong. But, seriously, wouldn't we all do the same if something like that happened to us? Anyway, I loved how fierce Zoe was when it came to books, especially romance novels.
I enjoyed the way it was written, it managed to keep my interest peeked at all times. The fact that it addressed the reader made it even more fun and engaging. Yes, Zoe, we are very curious spectators indeed.
This book surprised me in more ways than I had anticipated. First with its plot twists I didn't see coming and then with the warm, almost fuzzy feeling it left me after finishing it. And that feeling doesn't just come from the romance, which I absolutely enjoyed and would have liked a few more scenes between the characters, but from the message it very clearly conveys. We can easily forget why we do the things we love and let others influence us. And that's just wrong.
Aside from some very convenient coincidences and the short development of the romance, I had a great time reading Most Ardently Yours. It tought me and showed me to value romance books, to believe in myself and to never give up what makes me happy.
I'm so glad I read this book.
March 25, 2026
Pride and Prejudice is one of my all-time favorite novels; so I absolutely loved Freya Sampson’s concept of traveling in and out of Jane Austen’s story and a play on the romance between Mr. Darcy and Lizzy Bennett. However, Most Ardently Yours fell a bit flat for me with regard to the dialogue amongst characters and the lack of development of the relationship between the FMC and MMC. It came off as rushed, and leaned into the insta-love trope a bit (at least on the part of one of the characters). The premise was great, but it needed more depth. Still a fun read though!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2026
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!
This book was so good I finished it in a day. It had magical realism, book boyfriends and charming characters. And London as the background certainly did not hurt. Although some things were predictable (as in many romance novels, which I love) there were still elements of surprise. It's certainly perfect for Pride and Prejudice lovers!
This book was so good I finished it in a day. It had magical realism, book boyfriends and charming characters. And London as the background certainly did not hurt. Although some things were predictable (as in many romance novels, which I love) there were still elements of surprise. It's certainly perfect for Pride and Prejudice lovers!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25 stars!
This book follows Zoe Knight as she unknowingly and magically summons Mr. Darcy into the real world after an interesting encounter with a grumpy, pretentious bookseller named Nick.
The Good:
I loved the dynamic between Zoe and Nick! Their banter was great and I felt the chemistry. I also thought that the plot was super unique and fun!
The Okay:
I wasn't totally convinced on Mr. Darcy's character, however. It wasn't a bad portrayal necessarily, but it felt like he could have been any reserved 1800s Englishman.
The Not-So-Good:
I liked the overall ending, but it felt like it ended a little abruptly? I think I wanted more closure.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one! It was closed-door/fade-to-black, which I appreciated with my reading preferences. I will definitely be recommending this one when it is released!
This book follows Zoe Knight as she unknowingly and magically summons Mr. Darcy into the real world after an interesting encounter with a grumpy, pretentious bookseller named Nick.
The Good:
I loved the dynamic between Zoe and Nick! Their banter was great and I felt the chemistry. I also thought that the plot was super unique and fun!
The Okay:
I wasn't totally convinced on Mr. Darcy's character, however. It wasn't a bad portrayal necessarily, but it felt like he could have been any reserved 1800s Englishman.
The Not-So-Good:
I liked the overall ending, but it felt like it ended a little abruptly? I think I wanted more closure.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one! It was closed-door/fade-to-black, which I appreciated with my reading preferences. I will definitely be recommending this one when it is released!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I applaud the quirkiness of the plot, yet that same quirkiness also makes the book feel a bit flimsy at times—and that’s coming from someone who loves both Austen and time-travel(-ish) romances.
Basic plot: The FMC is a hardcore romance reader. After a string of disappointing real-life experiences, she’s basically outsourced her love life to books. One day she wanders into a tiny bookshop run by a grumpy-but-hunky bookseller (yes, he’s the MMC) who pointedly refuses to stock romance. For reasons we learn later, the FMC finds an old, battered copy of Pride and Prejudice—and steals it. The next day, Fitzwilliam Darcy (the P&P MMC) appears in real life. The FMC tries to make Darcy her boyfriend (and, frankly, gaslights him), but after a few days
Don’t worry: the story does land on a happy ending (though it felt a bit… stretched).
YAY for
😊 The dynamic between the leads. The MMC is genuinely compelling: grumpy in a way that reads as layered rather than rude, and grounded enough to feel like a real person—not just a trope. His chemistry with the FMC carries a lot of the book. The FMC, on the other hand, reads a bit whiny to me at times, and her choices can be frustrating—but she still lands as “messy but readable,” especially because her emotional neediness fits the premise (someone who’s been living on fictional comfort for too long). When the two are on the page together, the story has its best moments.
😊 The initial magical realism twist. The “book character in real life” setup is clever, playful, and very on-theme for a romance that’s in conversation with Pride and Prejudice. The early sections are genuinely fun: the novelty, the wish-fulfillment, and the subtle tension of “this can’t possibly last” work really well. I also liked the hint of mystery around the bookshop and the late mother’s role—it adds texture beyond the central romance. It’s a strong hook… right up until the magic starts stacking new rules on top of old ones and the story pushes it a little too far.
NAY for
🤔 How Darcy is treated. And, like other reviewers, I struggled with the sexual aspect—it was a no for me. More broadly, I never quite saw him as a person in this story; he felt like a prop, “literally just a character.” Maybe that was intentional—to highlight the contrast between the MMC and Darcy—but I’m not convinced, especially because the main takeaway seems to be: FMC, you should be your own hero/savior. That’s fine, but I missed a clearer secondary message of: and choose someone who fits the real you, not just someone “perfect” in the abstract.
🤔 The magic logic eventually breaks. I can suspend disbelief once and accept the core premise. But when the plot escalates into characters jumping in and out of books, it lost me. At that point it felt more metaphorical than functional, and I disconnected. Magical realism works best (for me) when it stays simple—once it over-explains or over-expands, it risks snapping the reader out of the story.
🤔 It sometimes reads like fanfiction. There’s a level of fangirl energy that tipped into indulgent for my taste—and I say that as a fangirl.
My Bottom Line & Note for the Author
An enjoyable read with a charming premise and a strong romantic dynamic—but it could use a tighter hand to achieve that Ashley Poston–style sweet spot: whimsical magic grounded in real emotion, with cleaner narrative rules and a more seamless payoff.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Basic plot: The FMC is a hardcore romance reader. After a string of disappointing real-life experiences, she’s basically outsourced her love life to books. One day she wanders into a tiny bookshop run by a grumpy-but-hunky bookseller (yes, he’s the MMC) who pointedly refuses to stock romance. For reasons we learn later, the FMC finds an old, battered copy of Pride and Prejudice—and steals it. The next day, Fitzwilliam Darcy (the P&P MMC) appears in real life. The FMC tries to make Darcy her boyfriend (and, frankly, gaslights him), but after a few days
Don’t worry: the story does land on a happy ending (though it felt a bit… stretched).
YAY for
😊 The dynamic between the leads. The MMC is genuinely compelling: grumpy in a way that reads as layered rather than rude, and grounded enough to feel like a real person—not just a trope. His chemistry with the FMC carries a lot of the book. The FMC, on the other hand, reads a bit whiny to me at times, and her choices can be frustrating—but she still lands as “messy but readable,” especially because her emotional neediness fits the premise (someone who’s been living on fictional comfort for too long). When the two are on the page together, the story has its best moments.
😊 The initial magical realism twist. The “book character in real life” setup is clever, playful, and very on-theme for a romance that’s in conversation with Pride and Prejudice. The early sections are genuinely fun: the novelty, the wish-fulfillment, and the subtle tension of “this can’t possibly last” work really well. I also liked the hint of mystery around the bookshop and the late mother’s role—it adds texture beyond the central romance. It’s a strong hook… right up until the magic starts stacking new rules on top of old ones and the story pushes it a little too far.
NAY for
🤔 How Darcy is treated. And, like other reviewers, I struggled with the sexual aspect—it was a no for me. More broadly, I never quite saw him as a person in this story; he felt like a prop, “literally just a character.” Maybe that was intentional—to highlight the contrast between the MMC and Darcy—but I’m not convinced, especially because the main takeaway seems to be: FMC, you should be your own hero/savior. That’s fine, but I missed a clearer secondary message of: and choose someone who fits the real you, not just someone “perfect” in the abstract.
🤔 The magic logic eventually breaks. I can suspend disbelief once and accept the core premise. But when the plot escalates into characters jumping in and out of books, it lost me. At that point it felt more metaphorical than functional, and I disconnected. Magical realism works best (for me) when it stays simple—once it over-explains or over-expands, it risks snapping the reader out of the story.
🤔 It sometimes reads like fanfiction. There’s a level of fangirl energy that tipped into indulgent for my taste—and I say that as a fangirl.
My Bottom Line & Note for the Author
An enjoyable read with a charming premise and a strong romantic dynamic—but it could use a tighter hand to achieve that Ashley Poston–style sweet spot: whimsical magic grounded in real emotion, with cleaner narrative rules and a more seamless payoff.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
💭Most Ardently Yours is the kind of book that feels like a warm hug and a very targeted love letter to romance readers—especially those of us who grew up worshipping Mr. Darcy and quietly measuring real men against fictional standards.
Zoe Knight is a struggling romance writer who has officially given up on men in real life. Fictional men, however? Thriving. She finds comfort, validation, and companionship in book boyfriends, with Darcy firmly reigning supreme. Romance novels are her safe place, her escape, her emotional support system—and honestly, same. So when fate (and an unforgiving London downpour) pushes her into Baskerville Books, a shop she’s avoided for years because it screams women not welcome, chaos ensues in the best way.
Baskerville Books is the embodiment of everything Zoe despises: male-centric displays, “serious” books by men for men, and zero romance in sight. Enter Nick Baskerville—the annoyingly attractive, painfully grumpy owner who proudly refuses to stock romance novels and somehow hasn’t read Austen (a crime, frankly). Their first interaction is pure gold: sharp banter, ideological clashes, bruised egos, and a very memorable argument involving Pride and Prejudice. The bookshop setting plus enemies-at-first-meeting energy? Delicious.
What really worked for me was how deeply this story gets romance readers. It explores how fictional men raise our standards, how women are judged for loving romance, and how books become lifelines during grief, loneliness, and heartbreak. Zoe’s backstory is heavy—losing her mother to cancer, her father to his own failures, and later her confidence to an emotionally destructive ex who crushed her writing dreams. Crispin Carter might genuinely be one of those characters you want to throw into the Thames. Watching Zoe reclaim her voice, her creativity, and her sense of self was incredibly satisfying.
The supporting cast adds so much heart. Bianca, her lifelong best friend, is pure found-family comfort. Mrs. Atallah, Zoe’s flat owner, quietly steals the show with her warmth and wisdom. Even the history of Baskerville Books—passed down through generations of book lovers—adds emotional depth and reinforces the idea that books save people.
And yes, the book is absolutely packed with literary references. Jane Austen fans, especially Pride and Prejudice devotees, will feel very seen. This novel leans hard into Austen parallels, Easter eggs, and thematic nods—it’s unapologetically indulgent. Fair warning: if you haven’t read Pride and Prejudice, this will spoil parts of it. If you have read it? You’ll probably be grinning the whole time.
That said, while I adored Zoe as a protagonist, the romance itself didn’t fully live up to its potential for me. Nick is charming in theory, and he does redeem himself, but the emotional build-up between him and Zoe felt rushed. Their first meeting crackled, but after that, I wanted more shared moments, more tension, more earned intimacy. The feelings seemed to jump ahead before I was fully convinced. A slower burn would’ve elevated this from great to unforgettable.
Still, this book was a joy to read. It’s light, visual, humorous, and genuinely uplifting. I flew through it in a day and felt good the entire time—which absolutely influenced my rating. It may not be extraordinary, but it speaks to things I deeply relate to: loving books fiercely, believing in fictional comfort, and learning that you don’t need a man (fictional or real) to save you—you can be your own hero.
Overall, Most Ardently Yours is a witty, comforting romcom that celebrates books, self-growth, friendship, and the magic of stories. It’s not perfect, but it’s charming, heartfelt, and written with so much love for readers like us.
✨Don’t read the blurb. Go in blind. Trust me.
𝐏.𝐒 That opening line alone deserves a standing ovation.
𝐏.𝐏.𝐒 Slightly generous rating, yes—but zero regrets. Books that make me feel seen earn bonus points.
🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Contemporary romance, Romantic fantasy
🔸I’d 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 this to -
📚 Romance reader girlies
📖 Jane Austen & Pride and Prejudice fans
💌 Anyone who has ever wanted a book boyfriend
☕ Book club readers looking for discussion-worthy themes
💭Most Ardently Yours is the kind of book that feels like a warm hug and a very targeted love letter to romance readers—especially those of us who grew up worshipping Mr. Darcy and quietly measuring real men against fictional standards.
Zoe Knight is a struggling romance writer who has officially given up on men in real life. Fictional men, however? Thriving. She finds comfort, validation, and companionship in book boyfriends, with Darcy firmly reigning supreme. Romance novels are her safe place, her escape, her emotional support system—and honestly, same. So when fate (and an unforgiving London downpour) pushes her into Baskerville Books, a shop she’s avoided for years because it screams women not welcome, chaos ensues in the best way.
Baskerville Books is the embodiment of everything Zoe despises: male-centric displays, “serious” books by men for men, and zero romance in sight. Enter Nick Baskerville—the annoyingly attractive, painfully grumpy owner who proudly refuses to stock romance novels and somehow hasn’t read Austen (a crime, frankly). Their first interaction is pure gold: sharp banter, ideological clashes, bruised egos, and a very memorable argument involving Pride and Prejudice. The bookshop setting plus enemies-at-first-meeting energy? Delicious.
What really worked for me was how deeply this story gets romance readers. It explores how fictional men raise our standards, how women are judged for loving romance, and how books become lifelines during grief, loneliness, and heartbreak. Zoe’s backstory is heavy—losing her mother to cancer, her father to his own failures, and later her confidence to an emotionally destructive ex who crushed her writing dreams. Crispin Carter might genuinely be one of those characters you want to throw into the Thames. Watching Zoe reclaim her voice, her creativity, and her sense of self was incredibly satisfying.
The supporting cast adds so much heart. Bianca, her lifelong best friend, is pure found-family comfort. Mrs. Atallah, Zoe’s flat owner, quietly steals the show with her warmth and wisdom. Even the history of Baskerville Books—passed down through generations of book lovers—adds emotional depth and reinforces the idea that books save people.
And yes, the book is absolutely packed with literary references. Jane Austen fans, especially Pride and Prejudice devotees, will feel very seen. This novel leans hard into Austen parallels, Easter eggs, and thematic nods—it’s unapologetically indulgent. Fair warning: if you haven’t read Pride and Prejudice, this will spoil parts of it. If you have read it? You’ll probably be grinning the whole time.
That said, while I adored Zoe as a protagonist, the romance itself didn’t fully live up to its potential for me. Nick is charming in theory, and he does redeem himself, but the emotional build-up between him and Zoe felt rushed. Their first meeting crackled, but after that, I wanted more shared moments, more tension, more earned intimacy. The feelings seemed to jump ahead before I was fully convinced. A slower burn would’ve elevated this from great to unforgettable.
Still, this book was a joy to read. It’s light, visual, humorous, and genuinely uplifting. I flew through it in a day and felt good the entire time—which absolutely influenced my rating. It may not be extraordinary, but it speaks to things I deeply relate to: loving books fiercely, believing in fictional comfort, and learning that you don’t need a man (fictional or real) to save you—you can be your own hero.
Overall, Most Ardently Yours is a witty, comforting romcom that celebrates books, self-growth, friendship, and the magic of stories. It’s not perfect, but it’s charming, heartfelt, and written with so much love for readers like us.
✨Don’t read the blurb. Go in blind. Trust me.
𝐏.𝐒 That opening line alone deserves a standing ovation.
𝐏.𝐏.𝐒 Slightly generous rating, yes—but zero regrets. Books that make me feel seen earn bonus points.
🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Contemporary romance, Romantic fantasy
🔸I’d 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 this to -
📚 Romance reader girlies
📖 Jane Austen & Pride and Prejudice fans
💌 Anyone who has ever wanted a book boyfriend
☕ Book club readers looking for discussion-worthy themes
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
I love Jane Austen. I love Pride and Prejudice adaptations. And I have a real love of cringe regency in modern times stories like Lost in Austen and Austenland. So I'm really the ideal audience for this book. Those stories are silly and goofy and that’s what I expected from this.
I think in a film format, you can often forgive poor decisions of the protagonist because the experience with the story is short, but in book format, it feels much more grating.
This book could have been a novella. The protagonist goes completely against the obvious choices for progress for manufactured obstacles that feel dissatisfying and irritating. Even the initial premise of what are we doing?
There could have been a much better way to That would be way more fun because then it doesn’t make the character unlikeable, just a moron (affectionate).
Even the silliness with Darcy felt just… womp womp. Who would give bland toast Darcy chow mein and kimchi pancake? He’s going to have a heart attack from having well seasoned food for the first time in his life. Darcy felt very one note to me. I found it hard to engage, in a similar way I don't often enjoy fan fic, because the author sees the character in a different way to how I experienced them. If the protagonist is such a fan, the author almost does Darcy a disservice by making him so boring.
I have a personal gripe with ‘dating’ media. I don’t love pop culture references or trending phrases because it cements a story to that time and then once that time goes out of flavour, it makes the book cringe, which is unfair for a fun story, right? And I also dislike when pop culture references are so thrust upon you that you’re alienated from the story when you don’t know the reference.
Throwing in popular romance authors of this era, name dropping for the sake of name dropping. If I haven’t read every romance, romantasy, etc. author… then I don’t know what you’re talking about. So it’s a bit of a risk that you’re relying on your reader to already be so deep in the pocket of romance to be able to genuinely engage with those references. Maybe if I read more romance I wouldn't feel bothered by this but Romance was one of my top genres in 2025 so I find it difficult to believe that I haven't done enough work here.
Ultimately, if you want a good brain-off read, you’ll probably enjoy this. Especially if you're already a fan of goofy Austen in modern day stories. We're also nearly 6 months from the release of the story so there's a chance for them to tweak this a bit and give it the charm the book really deserves. As is, it's just not as for me as I wanted it to be.
I love Jane Austen. I love Pride and Prejudice adaptations. And I have a real love of cringe regency in modern times stories like Lost in Austen and Austenland. So I'm really the ideal audience for this book. Those stories are silly and goofy and that’s what I expected from this.
I think in a film format, you can often forgive poor decisions of the protagonist because the experience with the story is short, but in book format, it feels much more grating.
This book could have been a novella. The protagonist goes completely against the obvious choices for progress for manufactured obstacles that feel dissatisfying and irritating. Even the initial premise of what are we doing?
There could have been a much better way to That would be way more fun because then it doesn’t make the character unlikeable, just a moron (affectionate).
Even the silliness with Darcy felt just… womp womp. Who would give bland toast Darcy chow mein and kimchi pancake? He’s going to have a heart attack from having well seasoned food for the first time in his life. Darcy felt very one note to me. I found it hard to engage, in a similar way I don't often enjoy fan fic, because the author sees the character in a different way to how I experienced them. If the protagonist is such a fan, the author almost does Darcy a disservice by making him so boring.
I have a personal gripe with ‘dating’ media. I don’t love pop culture references or trending phrases because it cements a story to that time and then once that time goes out of flavour, it makes the book cringe, which is unfair for a fun story, right? And I also dislike when pop culture references are so thrust upon you that you’re alienated from the story when you don’t know the reference.
Throwing in popular romance authors of this era, name dropping for the sake of name dropping. If I haven’t read every romance, romantasy, etc. author… then I don’t know what you’re talking about. So it’s a bit of a risk that you’re relying on your reader to already be so deep in the pocket of romance to be able to genuinely engage with those references. Maybe if I read more romance I wouldn't feel bothered by this but Romance was one of my top genres in 2025 so I find it difficult to believe that I haven't done enough work here.
Ultimately, if you want a good brain-off read, you’ll probably enjoy this. Especially if you're already a fan of goofy Austen in modern day stories. We're also nearly 6 months from the release of the story so there's a chance for them to tweak this a bit and give it the charm the book really deserves. As is, it's just not as for me as I wanted it to be.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmarks for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
——
I finished this book in less than 24 hours. There’s a reason I hold the Romance Genre with high regard. AHHHHHH.
I will say, the beginning was very heavy-handed in its references to popular romance/fantasy books currently on the market. I will never read some of the titles mentioned because of the author's political stances and the writing (which is a personal choice/taste), but it doesn’t take away from the fact that these books cultivated a large amount of new readers.
You can critique the quality of a book WITHOUT insulting or belittling the people who read them. It’s that simple. Overconsumption is a real thing, books with specific and overdone tropes ARE taking over the market, but again, we can critique current trends WITHOUT shaming the people who read them.
Zoe Knight would agree with that sentiment. She had a lot to say about that current debate. She was a lovely character. A bit stubborn and hard-headed at times. But I can’t fault her for that, especially knowing her backstory. A confusing and (I will say) traumatic experience with love itself. It’s easy to relate to her. Holding your book boyfriends as the standard, Mr. Darcy, as her standard, VALID. And then he comes to life!? YAY or NAY?!
Nick Baskerville. He makes me want to scream. Is it okay to say HE might be MY new book boyfriend? Their interactions were GREAT. Small moments that led up to a bigger event, YES. Just as Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice builds up the tension between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, so does Freya Sampson with Zoe and Nick. I LOVE when authors focus on a person’s eyes/gaze to describe what they’re feeling. It was HOT HOT HOT. Frankly, that’s all you need. A glance or a soft touch is enough.
Was the magic explained perfectly? No. Was it even magic to begin with? Who knows. Having read a book similar to this (The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer), I was familiar with the mechanics and how a fictional character jumping out of your favorite book could be possible. Still, the idea was executed well. The tension was there. Zoe’s journey discovering why this happened to her made sense.
The message. I love how it all unfolded. You don’t NEED anyone to make you happy, to show you what happiness looks like. Only you have the power to make it a reality. Looking forward to love is valid, but what can exist at the same time is the idea that you shouldn’t rely solely on anyone’s love to make you realize your wants, dreams, and worth.
The pacing (despite the beginning) was fantastic. The plot moved along fast. As I said, I read this in less than a day. It was light and easy, but the meaning behind the words was hard-hitting and tough. Most Ardently Yours made me laugh and smile. I had a great time! Now, would this be considered a literary classic? No, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that people fall back in love with reading because of books like these!
Also, damn, so my favorite fictional character WON’T fix me? Sigh :(
——
I finished this book in less than 24 hours. There’s a reason I hold the Romance Genre with high regard. AHHHHHH.
I will say, the beginning was very heavy-handed in its references to popular romance/fantasy books currently on the market. I will never read some of the titles mentioned because of the author's political stances and the writing (which is a personal choice/taste), but it doesn’t take away from the fact that these books cultivated a large amount of new readers.
You can critique the quality of a book WITHOUT insulting or belittling the people who read them. It’s that simple. Overconsumption is a real thing, books with specific and overdone tropes ARE taking over the market, but again, we can critique current trends WITHOUT shaming the people who read them.
Zoe Knight would agree with that sentiment. She had a lot to say about that current debate. She was a lovely character. A bit stubborn and hard-headed at times. But I can’t fault her for that, especially knowing her backstory. A confusing and (I will say) traumatic experience with love itself. It’s easy to relate to her. Holding your book boyfriends as the standard, Mr. Darcy, as her standard, VALID. And then he comes to life!? YAY or NAY?!
Nick Baskerville. He makes me want to scream. Is it okay to say HE might be MY new book boyfriend? Their interactions were GREAT. Small moments that led up to a bigger event, YES. Just as Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice builds up the tension between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, so does Freya Sampson with Zoe and Nick. I LOVE when authors focus on a person’s eyes/gaze to describe what they’re feeling. It was HOT HOT HOT. Frankly, that’s all you need. A glance or a soft touch is enough.
Was the magic explained perfectly? No. Was it even magic to begin with? Who knows. Having read a book similar to this (The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer), I was familiar with the mechanics and how a fictional character jumping out of your favorite book could be possible. Still, the idea was executed well. The tension was there. Zoe’s journey discovering why this happened to her made sense.
The message. I love how it all unfolded. You don’t NEED anyone to make you happy, to show you what happiness looks like. Only you have the power to make it a reality. Looking forward to love is valid, but what can exist at the same time is the idea that you shouldn’t rely solely on anyone’s love to make you realize your wants, dreams, and worth.
The pacing (despite the beginning) was fantastic. The plot moved along fast. As I said, I read this in less than a day. It was light and easy, but the meaning behind the words was hard-hitting and tough. Most Ardently Yours made me laugh and smile. I had a great time! Now, would this be considered a literary classic? No, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that people fall back in love with reading because of books like these!
Also, damn, so my favorite fictional character WON’T fix me? Sigh :(
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was such an interesting concept. I liked some aspects of it, such as Mr. Darcy, a fan favorite, classic, book boyfriend brought to life in 2026? What could go wrong?
Let’s start with the characters.
- Our main character, Zoe Knight, works at a cafe, has a lawyer best friend named Bianca, her mother died, and her favorite book boyfriend is Fitzwilliam Darcy. Hates Nick Baskerville, “d**k lit”, and her incel ex boyfriend Crispin (what kind of name is that??)
- Nick Baskerville, our main love interest…or is he? Nick runs a book store that has been owned by his family for a long time. Nick is anti romance, as in he won’t sell it in his bookstore, and Zoe takes that VERY personally. Beyond that, I really couldn’t tell you much about Nick or his personality.
- Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. We all know and love Mr. Darcy, whether he be in Colin Firth form or Matthew McFayden. This…while an interesting character, did not feel true to the character that Jane Austen wrote. He is, granted, completely confused and in awe of the modern world, but he wasn’t “THE Mr. Darcy”.
- Bianca. Zoe’s best friend, engaged and about to be married. B is a very very small part of the story, and Zoe isn’t even honest with her about who “Will” is?
Now. I thought that the plot was fun, concept intriguing, however the characters all really fell flat and felt very one dimensional. It didn’t make sense that Zoe’s character would have believed what Crispin had said about her. You also don’t really get to know Nick at all, he’s in the first chapter and then you don’t see him again for like 20% of the book. I would have liked to have more character development instead of the second plot twist we got halfway through the book when you feel like the issue is resolved.
You see, after Zoe attempts to get Darcy to fall in love with her and stay in the modern (and real world even though she didn’t tell him he was a fictional character), they finally get Darcy back to the Pride and Prejudice story. But wait, there’s more, oh no! Zoe is ALSO sent to P&P story, and has no idea how to get back! And what’s more, Nick’s long lost, mysterious mother is ALSO there. Oh but wait! Nick gets his great aunt who is seemingly not always coherent to send him to the story too! Oh my. The rest of the book is very much as you’d expect, them trying to not permanently ruin the story, while also trying to convince Zoe that her lying, awful ex boyfriend was wrong about her not being a good author. So she tries to write a story about their timeline, but oops, Zoe doesn’t know Nick’s mom well enough because she’s been missing for eight years. That leads to even more issues, but I’ll let you figure that out on your own.
Anyways, I really do appreciate this author’s creativity, however this book was not it for me.
Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s start with the characters.
- Our main character, Zoe Knight, works at a cafe, has a lawyer best friend named Bianca, her mother died, and her favorite book boyfriend is Fitzwilliam Darcy. Hates Nick Baskerville, “d**k lit”, and her incel ex boyfriend Crispin (what kind of name is that??)
- Nick Baskerville, our main love interest…or is he? Nick runs a book store that has been owned by his family for a long time. Nick is anti romance, as in he won’t sell it in his bookstore, and Zoe takes that VERY personally. Beyond that, I really couldn’t tell you much about Nick or his personality.
- Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. We all know and love Mr. Darcy, whether he be in Colin Firth form or Matthew McFayden. This…while an interesting character, did not feel true to the character that Jane Austen wrote. He is, granted, completely confused and in awe of the modern world, but he wasn’t “THE Mr. Darcy”.
- Bianca. Zoe’s best friend, engaged and about to be married. B is a very very small part of the story, and Zoe isn’t even honest with her about who “Will” is?
Now. I thought that the plot was fun, concept intriguing, however the characters all really fell flat and felt very one dimensional. It didn’t make sense that Zoe’s character would have believed what Crispin had said about her. You also don’t really get to know Nick at all, he’s in the first chapter and then you don’t see him again for like 20% of the book. I would have liked to have more character development instead of the second plot twist we got halfway through the book when you feel like the issue is resolved.
You see, after Zoe attempts to get Darcy to fall in love with her and stay in the modern (and real world even though she didn’t tell him he was a fictional character), they finally get Darcy back to the Pride and Prejudice story. But wait, there’s more, oh no! Zoe is ALSO sent to P&P story, and has no idea how to get back! And what’s more, Nick’s long lost, mysterious mother is ALSO there. Oh but wait! Nick gets his great aunt who is seemingly not always coherent to send him to the story too! Oh my. The rest of the book is very much as you’d expect, them trying to not permanently ruin the story, while also trying to convince Zoe that her lying, awful ex boyfriend was wrong about her not being a good author. So she tries to write a story about their timeline, but oops, Zoe doesn’t know Nick’s mom well enough because she’s been missing for eight years. That leads to even more issues, but I’ll let you figure that out on your own.
Anyways, I really do appreciate this author’s creativity, however this book was not it for me.
Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating: 1.5 stars
Contains adult language, suggestive material, LGBT side characters
I'll be honest. Despite my attempts to read every modern Jane Austen retelling known to man, I knew Most Ardently Yours might not be my cup of tea when I read the synopsis. I generally don't like Austen-inspired books involving time travel or regency characters, but we were celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen and the book was Read Now on Netgalley. Freya Sampson's book sounded like the kind of light, fun I needed to get through a rough year and reading slump, so I figured I'd give it a chance.
And unlike the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice, I did my best to avoid either avarice and give Most Ardently Yours a fair shot. Unfortunately, the book quickly went from tolerable enough to tempt me to completely intolerable, and sadly, my good opinion once lost, is lost forever.
My main issue with Most Ardently Yours is that Freya Sampson spends the entire book trying too hard. Right off the bat, we get bombarded with so many references to romance books, I thought I was reading the captions of a BookTok post about some influencer's top 10 book boyfriends. I get that Freya Sampson loves romance, but the entire book felt like she was on her own personal crusade to defend the genre from literary snobs and misogynistic detractors. I don't necessarily have a problem with that, but if you're going to lecture your readers about something, do it by telling a good story. (And no, info dumping through your readers and trying to disguise it as "dialogue" doesn't count.)
What makes Jane Austen such a mainstay even two and a half centuries later is her clever wit and layered storytelling. She intrinsically trusts her readers to pick up on the subtlety and nuance in her stories, and it's clear from her works that writing and storytelling is a craft. With Most Ardently Yours it feels less like the work of a master craftsman and more like a toddler slapped some clay and paint together and call it a day. You might think I'm being unfairly harsh, trying to compare Freya Sampson to the literary genius of Jane Austen, but even when I compare her to her contemporaries, there's just unpolished and amateurish about her writing. I was trying to be generous and gave Sampson the benefit of the doubt, thinking she might be a debut author, but this is her fifth book. (Even if I try to be generous and take into account the quick turnaround time publishing seems to be pushing these days, surely an editor should've helped ensure Most Ardently Yours was in better shape.) The story is kind of bland, and the pacing is atrocious. I feel like my eyes glazed over a few times while reading, and I genuinely couldn't find any way to connect emotionally to the story despite the fact that Sampson (attempts to) deal with grief and loss. Honestly, Mrs. Atallah, the crotchety, meddling landlord, was the best part of the book.
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Contains adult language, suggestive material, LGBT side characters
I'll be honest. Despite my attempts to read every modern Jane Austen retelling known to man, I knew Most Ardently Yours might not be my cup of tea when I read the synopsis. I generally don't like Austen-inspired books involving time travel or regency characters, but we were celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen and the book was Read Now on Netgalley. Freya Sampson's book sounded like the kind of light, fun I needed to get through a rough year and reading slump, so I figured I'd give it a chance.
And unlike the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice, I did my best to avoid either avarice and give Most Ardently Yours a fair shot. Unfortunately, the book quickly went from tolerable enough to tempt me to completely intolerable, and sadly, my good opinion once lost, is lost forever.
My main issue with Most Ardently Yours is that Freya Sampson spends the entire book trying too hard. Right off the bat, we get bombarded with so many references to romance books, I thought I was reading the captions of a BookTok post about some influencer's top 10 book boyfriends. I get that Freya Sampson loves romance, but the entire book felt like she was on her own personal crusade to defend the genre from literary snobs and misogynistic detractors. I don't necessarily have a problem with that, but if you're going to lecture your readers about something, do it by telling a good story. (And no, info dumping through your readers and trying to disguise it as "dialogue" doesn't count.)
What makes Jane Austen such a mainstay even two and a half centuries later is her clever wit and layered storytelling. She intrinsically trusts her readers to pick up on the subtlety and nuance in her stories, and it's clear from her works that writing and storytelling is a craft. With Most Ardently Yours it feels less like the work of a master craftsman and more like a toddler slapped some clay and paint together and call it a day. You might think I'm being unfairly harsh, trying to compare Freya Sampson to the literary genius of Jane Austen, but even when I compare her to her contemporaries, there's just unpolished and amateurish about her writing. I was trying to be generous and gave Sampson the benefit of the doubt, thinking she might be a debut author, but this is her fifth book. (Even if I try to be generous and take into account the quick turnaround time publishing seems to be pushing these days, surely an editor should've helped ensure Most Ardently Yours was in better shape.) The story is kind of bland, and the pacing is atrocious. I feel like my eyes glazed over a few times while reading, and I genuinely couldn't find any way to connect emotionally to the story despite the fact that Sampson (attempts to) deal with grief and loss. Honestly, Mrs. Atallah, the crotchety, meddling landlord, was the best part of the book.
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25 Stars
Cute cover. Cute blurb. I was intrigued, even though I'm not the biggest fan of magical stuff in my books.
And I liked it. It was cute and funny and a bit sad and heartbreaking.
I liked the whole vibe of it all. The bookshop and London and the neighbor lady and the cat and the best friend. I liked the idea of your dream book boyfriend coming to life out of your favorite romance.
But it all needs a bit more. I need more funny moments. More falling in love moments. Just more moments in the bookstore with Ben. More action in the first half of the story. It's all very slow and a bit boring. Everything happens in the last third of the book.
I liked reading it, it was a cute romance... but it could've/should've been a really good story. I would still watch it on TV!
click ► HERE! to buy the book
Cute cover. Cute blurb. I was intrigued, even though I'm not the biggest fan of magical stuff in my books.
And I liked it. It was cute and funny and a bit sad and heartbreaking.
I liked the whole vibe of it all. The bookshop and London and the neighbor lady and the cat and the best friend. I liked the idea of your dream book boyfriend coming to life out of your favorite romance.
But it all needs a bit more. I need more funny moments. More falling in love moments. Just more moments in the bookstore with Ben. More action in the first half of the story. It's all very slow and a bit boring. Everything happens in the last third of the book.
I liked reading it, it was a cute romance... but it could've/should've been a really good story. I would still watch it on TV!
click ► HERE! to buy the book
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
While I quite enjoyed Freya Sampson's novel The Lost Ticket, I can't say the same about Most Ardently Yours. Premise-wise, I was on board; I'm a big fan of Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice in its various incarnations, so this should've been perfect. Unfortunately, this book wasn't my cup of tea.
Most notably, I did not jive with the narrative voice of this book: it was too of the moment. I get it--she was trying to place the character in the present and establish legitimacy within the contemporary romance genre; and the main setting here was a bookstore. However, even just the first few pages read like a list of BookTok's top authors and titles. I often have this issue with popular contemporary literature as these references will date the book to a specific moment in time and, thus, become stale and untimely soon. It's the equivalent of the awkwardness of the "how do you do fellow kids?" meme.
This initial vibe didn't bode well for the rest of the reading experience either.
I didn't care for the main character or her love interest. Their personalities somehow both bored and annoyed me at once, and I didn't enjoy following them through the story. It somehow felt juvenile and boring and I found it a slog to get through. Unfortunately, I also wasn't compelled by how the author described Mr. Darcy in this story and how he interacted with the main character.
Overall, I wasn't compelled by anything except the premise. If you're not picky and looking for a contemporary romance with references to P&P, I suppose this novel could suffice for a quick read. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood for a Hallmark Channel-level story and the contemporary references were too much for me to bear.
I'm truly sad because I've had pleasant experiences reading her other work but this one didn't work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Most notably, I did not jive with the narrative voice of this book: it was too of the moment. I get it--she was trying to place the character in the present and establish legitimacy within the contemporary romance genre; and the main setting here was a bookstore. However, even just the first few pages read like a list of BookTok's top authors and titles. I often have this issue with popular contemporary literature as these references will date the book to a specific moment in time and, thus, become stale and untimely soon. It's the equivalent of the awkwardness of the "how do you do fellow kids?" meme.
This initial vibe didn't bode well for the rest of the reading experience either.
I didn't care for the main character or her love interest. Their personalities somehow both bored and annoyed me at once, and I didn't enjoy following them through the story. It somehow felt juvenile and boring and I found it a slog to get through. Unfortunately, I also wasn't compelled by how the author described Mr. Darcy in this story and how he interacted with the main character.
Overall, I wasn't compelled by anything except the premise. If you're not picky and looking for a contemporary romance with references to P&P, I suppose this novel could suffice for a quick read. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood for a Hallmark Channel-level story and the contemporary references were too much for me to bear.
I'm truly sad because I've had pleasant experiences reading her other work but this one didn't work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am a massive Pride and Prejudice fan. When I saw that Freya Sampson, an author I adore, wrote a book centered around Mr. Darcy coming to life, I about jumped for joy.
Mr. Darcy is a favorite romantic hero of mine. His character development in P&P so perfectly reveals his deeply loyal, generous and selfless nature beneath his proud and arrogant exterior. However, in this book, he is missing his shyness and charm. His reserved nature makes him so endearing in P&P, but he was much more talkative and strangely blunt in this book. (Yes, he is blunt in P&P, but it’s done differently.) Sampson's portrayal of Darcy and his dialogue weren't quite what I imagine of the character, but perhaps we all have different interpretations of what a 21st century Darcy would be like.
Freya Sampson usually writes such lovable, complex characters, but I failed to connect with this book's characters. They lacked depth and the dialogue felt awkward. The romance between Nick and Zoe felt rushed as there was very little build-up. It went from "enemies-to-love of my life" in very little time. I enjoyed the appearance of Dylan and Frank, though. (If you know, you know!) :)
Despite not connecting with the characters, I love the book's premise. How many of us wish we could spend an hour or two with our favorite fictional characters? Spending time with Mr. Darcy and traveling to the P&P world was a lot of fun. I did not expect to meet other P&P characters, so that was a nice surprise! I could feel Freya Sampson's love of P&P in her writing, and I really appreciate her preference for Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy. Same here! He is the BEST!
Even though this book fell flat for me in some aspects, I still love Freya Sampson's writing. I will always be first in line to buy one of her books, and I will definitely read this book again when it is published.
Mr. Darcy is a favorite romantic hero of mine. His character development in P&P so perfectly reveals his deeply loyal, generous and selfless nature beneath his proud and arrogant exterior. However, in this book, he is missing his shyness and charm. His reserved nature makes him so endearing in P&P, but he was much more talkative and strangely blunt in this book. (Yes, he is blunt in P&P, but it’s done differently.) Sampson's portrayal of Darcy and his dialogue weren't quite what I imagine of the character, but perhaps we all have different interpretations of what a 21st century Darcy would be like.
Freya Sampson usually writes such lovable, complex characters, but I failed to connect with this book's characters. They lacked depth and the dialogue felt awkward. The romance between Nick and Zoe felt rushed as there was very little build-up. It went from "enemies-to-love of my life" in very little time. I enjoyed the appearance of Dylan and Frank, though. (If you know, you know!) :)
Despite not connecting with the characters, I love the book's premise. How many of us wish we could spend an hour or two with our favorite fictional characters? Spending time with Mr. Darcy and traveling to the P&P world was a lot of fun. I did not expect to meet other P&P characters, so that was a nice surprise! I could feel Freya Sampson's love of P&P in her writing, and I really appreciate her preference for Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy. Same here! He is the BEST!
Even though this book fell flat for me in some aspects, I still love Freya Sampson's writing. I will always be first in line to buy one of her books, and I will definitely read this book again when it is published.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Most Ardently Yours is a charming, humorous romcom with a time-travel twist that will especially delight book lovers and Jane Austen fans. Packed with bookish references, wit, and heart, this story was an easy and enjoyable read that kept me turning the pages.
The story follows Zoe Knight, who has given up on her dream of becoming an author and is freshly heartbroken after being left by her ex. As a lifelong Pride and Prejudice superfan, she can hardly believe it when none other than Mr. Darcy suddenly appears in her world. But as the story unfolds, Zoe begins to question whether the “perfect man” from fiction would actually be perfect in real life.
The novel is written in a very visual, light, and humorous style, and I found it genuinely inspiring. I laughed a lot and enjoyed Zoe’s journey of self-discovery, identity, and self-worth. The central message that you don’t need someone else to save you, because you can be your own hero, is beautifully woven into the story.
While I loved Zoe as a protagonist and found her struggles relatable, I wished for a bit more emotional depth when it came to the romance. The MMC Noah, a grumpy bookseller, is a great contrast to Zoe’s hopeless-romantic personality, but he felt slightly underdeveloped. I would have loved more shared scenes and emotional build-up between them before they fell in love.
The pacing slows a little in the middle, but not enough to significantly impact my overall enjoyment. A personal highlight for me were the book club discussion questions at the end, such a lovely and thoughtful addition!
Overall, Most Ardently Yours is a witty, heartwarming romcom that celebrates books, self-growth, and the idea that perfection in fiction doesn’t always translate to real life. I highly recommend it to romcom readers, Jane Austen lovers, and anyone who dreams of having a bookboyfriend in real life!
The story follows Zoe Knight, who has given up on her dream of becoming an author and is freshly heartbroken after being left by her ex. As a lifelong Pride and Prejudice superfan, she can hardly believe it when none other than Mr. Darcy suddenly appears in her world. But as the story unfolds, Zoe begins to question whether the “perfect man” from fiction would actually be perfect in real life.
The novel is written in a very visual, light, and humorous style, and I found it genuinely inspiring. I laughed a lot and enjoyed Zoe’s journey of self-discovery, identity, and self-worth. The central message that you don’t need someone else to save you, because you can be your own hero, is beautifully woven into the story.
While I loved Zoe as a protagonist and found her struggles relatable, I wished for a bit more emotional depth when it came to the romance. The MMC Noah, a grumpy bookseller, is a great contrast to Zoe’s hopeless-romantic personality, but he felt slightly underdeveloped. I would have loved more shared scenes and emotional build-up between them before they fell in love.
The pacing slows a little in the middle, but not enough to significantly impact my overall enjoyment. A personal highlight for me were the book club discussion questions at the end, such a lovely and thoughtful addition!
Overall, Most Ardently Yours is a witty, heartwarming romcom that celebrates books, self-growth, and the idea that perfection in fiction doesn’t always translate to real life. I highly recommend it to romcom readers, Jane Austen lovers, and anyone who dreams of having a bookboyfriend in real life!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 ⭐ (rounded up)
I thought this was such a fun read! I mean, what book lover hasn’t daydreamed about bringing their favourite fictional character into the real world?
It has a really unusual genres: romance, romcom and magical realism. I absolutely loved the opening and found the humour really engaging. We dive straight into a discussion about "d*ck lit" books 😅, and there's a lot of references to fictional characters and "book boyfriends" from popular romance and fantasy romance books. I thought these actually worked well due to the storyline and the style of the book.
The story caught me off guard and didn't go how I thought it would go, which was a nice surprise!
The FMC and MMC had great chemistry, but I would have liked to have seen them spend more time together before the romance developed. I also thought character reactions were unrealistic at times, especially Mr Darcy's. Bringing such a well-established, iconic character like Mr Darcy into a totally different time and context is a bold move, and I think that might explain some of his underreactions or slightly odd behaviour. It could also be intentional since he is fictional within the book’s world, while the other characters are “real,” so maybe he was written to feel a little more two-dimensional or out of place to reflect that.
The ending didn’t quite work for me, especially the . While I understand the intention behind it (and the strong message of “be your own heroine” was prominent throughout the book), I still wish it had been handled a bit differently.
Overall, this was a fun and whimsical read with a lot of heart. There were just a few small things I wish had been done a little differently.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this was such a fun read! I mean, what book lover hasn’t daydreamed about bringing their favourite fictional character into the real world?
It has a really unusual genres: romance, romcom and magical realism. I absolutely loved the opening and found the humour really engaging. We dive straight into a discussion about "d*ck lit" books 😅, and there's a lot of references to fictional characters and "book boyfriends" from popular romance and fantasy romance books. I thought these actually worked well due to the storyline and the style of the book.
The story caught me off guard and didn't go how I thought it would go, which was a nice surprise!
The FMC and MMC had great chemistry, but I would have liked to have seen them spend more time together before the romance developed. I also thought character reactions were unrealistic at times, especially Mr Darcy's. Bringing such a well-established, iconic character like Mr Darcy into a totally different time and context is a bold move, and I think that might explain some of his underreactions or slightly odd behaviour. It could also be intentional since he is fictional within the book’s world, while the other characters are “real,” so maybe he was written to feel a little more two-dimensional or out of place to reflect that.
The ending didn’t quite work for me, especially the . While I understand the intention behind it (and the strong message of “be your own heroine” was prominent throughout the book), I still wish it had been handled a bit differently.
Overall, this was a fun and whimsical read with a lot of heart. There were just a few small things I wish had been done a little differently.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson
✨ARC review✨
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of many romance novels, must be in want of a book boyfriend.”
📍What if you could read your book boyfriend out of the page and into real life?
📖After stealing a copy of P&P from Baskerville Books—a bookshop l owned by the slightly-irritating-but-undeniably-handsome Nick Baskerville otherwise devoid of romance novels—Zoe Knight somehow reads Darcy out of the pages of P&P and into 2026. She has always loved Darcy as her book bf~ but now that she gets to experience him IRL, can she say she’s “in love” with him? As she ruminates over this, she discovers that the magic comes with consequences as P&P’s existence may be lost forever! Zoe hates to admit it but the only person who might be able to help return Darcy back to the pages and save P&P is the anti-romance bookseller Nick.
I’ll admit that I’ve read a ton of P&P retellings, P&P time traveling books, etc. and I’m usually disappointed. I think the issue is that messing w the perfection of P&P and its characters is always a risk. Since it’s a derivative work, retellings or using the characters, etc. always ends up reading like a fan-fic to me.
With that being said… I hate leaving bad reviews, but this book was just too much for me.
🧐My first gripe is that I didn’t think it was tastefully done when it came to Darcy. Darcy felt in character when spewing his P&P lines but then felt like a completely different person when deviating from his P&P role. (I know I know… I should have grace for artistic interpretation!) i guess I couldn’t look past who he has always been to me or my version of Darcy when reading this book? (I want to say more about what specifically bothered me, but I don’t want to give away spoilers!)
💘On another note, the romantic connections in the book were lacking. The spice meter is low on this one (some making out and a gratuitous image of Darcy in the shower… no thanks).
🕳️There were plot holes and a pretty abrupt ending, which I won’t go into bc of spoilers but… Ah! 🫣
Anyways, thank you netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
✨ARC review✨
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of many romance novels, must be in want of a book boyfriend.”
📍What if you could read your book boyfriend out of the page and into real life?
📖After stealing a copy of P&P from Baskerville Books—a bookshop l owned by the slightly-irritating-but-undeniably-handsome Nick Baskerville otherwise devoid of romance novels—Zoe Knight somehow reads Darcy out of the pages of P&P and into 2026. She has always loved Darcy as her book bf~ but now that she gets to experience him IRL, can she say she’s “in love” with him? As she ruminates over this, she discovers that the magic comes with consequences as P&P’s existence may be lost forever! Zoe hates to admit it but the only person who might be able to help return Darcy back to the pages and save P&P is the anti-romance bookseller Nick.
I’ll admit that I’ve read a ton of P&P retellings, P&P time traveling books, etc. and I’m usually disappointed. I think the issue is that messing w the perfection of P&P and its characters is always a risk. Since it’s a derivative work, retellings or using the characters, etc. always ends up reading like a fan-fic to me.
With that being said… I hate leaving bad reviews, but this book was just too much for me.
🧐My first gripe is that I didn’t think it was tastefully done when it came to Darcy. Darcy felt in character when spewing his P&P lines but then felt like a completely different person when deviating from his P&P role. (I know I know… I should have grace for artistic interpretation!) i guess I couldn’t look past who he has always been to me or my version of Darcy when reading this book? (I want to say more about what specifically bothered me, but I don’t want to give away spoilers!)
💘On another note, the romantic connections in the book were lacking. The spice meter is low on this one (some making out and a gratuitous image of Darcy in the shower… no thanks).
🕳️There were plot holes and a pretty abrupt ending, which I won’t go into bc of spoilers but… Ah! 🫣
Anyways, thank you netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a fun time!
I loved how invested we are into the character and just how much they add wit and emotion into the story (especially Mrs. Atallah, she was a hoot!). We really see our main character, Zoe, grow as a person and as a writer as her friends and Mr. Darcy help her earn her trust in herself back. It was so uplifting seeing how much they cared for her and one another throughout the whole book.
And Nick!!! Sweetie pie Nick! The way we are initially put off by his character because he highly dislikes romance novels but then you realize that there is a reasoning behind that, and the reasoning is so sad and dare I say, traumatic. I mean, I too, would hate romance novels for that reason. But truth be told, loved how much he held Zoe in such high regard even after the events of their first encounter. Truly, a yearnful man.
That being said, lord have mercy were there so many references to current pop culture !! They 1000% could’ve been taken out since it truly dates every book in my opinion. Name dropping so many modern things almost felt like the author was trying to make the story as relevant as possible by naming as many possible BookTok references - making it a bit cringe. It felt like every other paragraph had a pop culture reference and it wasn’t until the last half of the book that it became more enjoyable to read because there was less attention to the pop culture aspect of it all. Genuinely do not need to hear about Love Island, Xaden Riorson (yes, from Fourth Wing…), or anything like that in a book - personally!
Thank you to Sourcebooks Publishing for the ARC.
I loved how invested we are into the character and just how much they add wit and emotion into the story (especially Mrs. Atallah, she was a hoot!). We really see our main character, Zoe, grow as a person and as a writer as her friends and Mr. Darcy help her earn her trust in herself back. It was so uplifting seeing how much they cared for her and one another throughout the whole book.
And Nick!!! Sweetie pie Nick! The way we are initially put off by his character because he highly dislikes romance novels but then you realize that there is a reasoning behind that, and the reasoning is so sad and dare I say, traumatic. I mean, I too, would hate romance novels for that reason. But truth be told, loved how much he held Zoe in such high regard even after the events of their first encounter. Truly, a yearnful man.
That being said, lord have mercy were there so many references to current pop culture !! They 1000% could’ve been taken out since it truly dates every book in my opinion. Name dropping so many modern things almost felt like the author was trying to make the story as relevant as possible by naming as many possible BookTok references - making it a bit cringe. It felt like every other paragraph had a pop culture reference and it wasn’t until the last half of the book that it became more enjoyable to read because there was less attention to the pop culture aspect of it all. Genuinely do not need to hear about Love Island, Xaden Riorson (yes, from Fourth Wing…), or anything like that in a book - personally!
Thank you to Sourcebooks Publishing for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I saw the cover art, saw the author's first name, and assumed this was a new book by Freya Marske. (It's not.) I definitely wouldn't have read this had I been paying attention-- I'm not a Jane Austen fanatic and generally avoid retellings like this and Pride and Preston Lin.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I'm familiar with the necessary Austen background works from other media. Readers with even less exposure than me might want to at least read the wikipedia summary; it seemed like there was a lot of Austen-tatious detail included with intentionality throughout the book, but I'm sure I missed quite a bit of it.
There were a few things that didn't make sense and that affected the book's believability. For example, it's repeatedly emphasized how honest Darcy is, but he's pretty happy to tell fibs and operate under a cover story when out in public. I don't know his character well from the original work, but it's very inconsistent within this book.
The magic elements aren't really explained ever. There's enough zaniness to misdirect, and a quick, vague explanation that papers over the great hole in the paranormal universe, but I'm unsatisfied. World-building needs improvement.
Suggest this to romance readers and self-identified Austen fans looking for airplane-type reads.
eARC from NetGalley.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I'm familiar with the necessary Austen background works from other media. Readers with even less exposure than me might want to at least read the wikipedia summary; it seemed like there was a lot of Austen-tatious detail included with intentionality throughout the book, but I'm sure I missed quite a bit of it.
There were a few things that didn't make sense and that affected the book's believability. For example, it's repeatedly emphasized how honest Darcy is, but he's pretty happy to tell fibs and operate under a cover story when out in public. I don't know his character well from the original work, but it's very inconsistent within this book.
The magic elements aren't really explained ever. There's enough zaniness to misdirect, and a quick, vague explanation that papers over the great hole in the paranormal universe, but I'm unsatisfied. World-building needs improvement.
Suggest this to romance readers and self-identified Austen fans looking for airplane-type reads.
eARC from NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The moment I received this ARC, I knew it was going to be my first read of the year. Freya Sampson's books, for me, are always very wholesome, very charming, and very warm. They're always about a group of people who have little in common but come together to tackle a problem or solve a mystery, and there's something comforting about that. And since I said I wanted to be kinder to myself this year, what better way to start that but with a Freya Sampson book.
This is a slight departure from her previous novels, simply in the fantastical element of the book. I mean, Mr. Darcy being read out of a book, plucked from Regency England into modern day? So fantastical! And so every romance girlie's dream.
I love that we follow Zoe through this whole journey. Had Mr. Darcy's sudden materialization happened to someone like Nick, it wouldn't have worked. We needed to stand alongside someone who loves romance books as much as we do, who uses "book boyfriend" liberally, who understands what Mr. Darcy's appearance would mean, and Zoe does. She's the perfect heroine for this to happen to.
I actually took very few notes while reading this book that weren't fangirling; I was so engrossed in it that I found little to note for scrutiny. I loved the twist that reminded me a bit of Ant-Man and the Wasp, I fangirled hard at the Dylan and Frank cameo, and the supporting friend group continues to be ride-or-die awesome.
And Miss Sampson, why did you have to make me tear up with that dedication?
The moment I received this ARC, I knew it was going to be my first read of the year. Freya Sampson's books, for me, are always very wholesome, very charming, and very warm. They're always about a group of people who have little in common but come together to tackle a problem or solve a mystery, and there's something comforting about that. And since I said I wanted to be kinder to myself this year, what better way to start that but with a Freya Sampson book.
This is a slight departure from her previous novels, simply in the fantastical element of the book. I mean, Mr. Darcy being read out of a book, plucked from Regency England into modern day? So fantastical! And so every romance girlie's dream.
I love that we follow Zoe through this whole journey. Had Mr. Darcy's sudden materialization happened to someone like Nick, it wouldn't have worked. We needed to stand alongside someone who loves romance books as much as we do, who uses "book boyfriend" liberally, who understands what Mr. Darcy's appearance would mean, and Zoe does. She's the perfect heroine for this to happen to.
I actually took very few notes while reading this book that weren't fangirling; I was so engrossed in it that I found little to note for scrutiny. I loved the twist that reminded me a bit of Ant-Man and the Wasp, I fangirled hard at the Dylan and Frank cameo, and the supporting friend group continues to be ride-or-die awesome.
And Miss Sampson, why did you have to make me tear up with that dedication?
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Anything Pride & Prejudice related, I'm in for. Retellings, references, whatever. So knowing that this book literally has Mr. Darcy come alive from the book because Zoe's so badly in need of a real book boyfriend... well let's just say I was definitely sold.
I loved the premise and thought the story was really fun and funny! Zoe was such a relatable FMC, and I loved seeing into her head regarding Darcy in particular. I'll admit, I'm personally not a fan of specific overt references to other books in romance books, so seeing Zoe talk about Adam Carlsen and Adam Volkov wasn't exactly my cup of tea. But besides that, the P&P references were fun.
I think what really worked about this book was that there were at least 4 twists that I didn't expect, which really kept me on my toes. The was a little bit frustrating for me as a reader who just wanted and wanted and wanted the HEA, but even that I could understand in the grand scheme of things. Besides that, the only thing that I really wanted was to see more of Zoe and Nick. For him to be relatively absent in the first half of the book and not 'in the know' about the problem at hand until halfway in was annoying because I loved reading about him. I understood Zoe's hesitance to bring him into her confidences, but I still wanted him on page!
Overall, this was so cute and fun, and it's definitely a must-read for any P&P fan!
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Thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBooks for the ARC!
I loved the premise and thought the story was really fun and funny! Zoe was such a relatable FMC, and I loved seeing into her head regarding Darcy in particular. I'll admit, I'm personally not a fan of specific overt references to other books in romance books, so seeing Zoe talk about Adam Carlsen and Adam Volkov wasn't exactly my cup of tea. But besides that, the P&P references were fun.
I think what really worked about this book was that there were at least 4 twists that I didn't expect, which really kept me on my toes. The was a little bit frustrating for me as a reader who just wanted and wanted and wanted the HEA, but even that I could understand in the grand scheme of things. Besides that, the only thing that I really wanted was to see more of Zoe and Nick. For him to be relatively absent in the first half of the book and not 'in the know' about the problem at hand until halfway in was annoying because I loved reading about him. I understood Zoe's hesitance to bring him into her confidences, but I still wanted him on page!
Overall, this was so cute and fun, and it's definitely a must-read for any P&P fan!
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Thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBooks for the ARC!
April 3, 2026
Thank you Netgalley, publishers, and Freya Sampson for this ARC!
This is a 2.5/5 for me, but it was a super close 3/5.
I loved the premise of this book. It is magical realism and those who know me know that I'm not the biggest fan of magical realism. But this plot was so enticing that I just had to try it out. The book started off really strong and if the last 20% was like the first 80%, this would've easily been a 3/5. However, in my opinion, I felt like the last 20% was rushed and didn't leave much room for character relationship development.
When Zoe steals a book from Nick, she accidentally brings Mr. Darcy into the real world. Throughout the first 40% of the book, it's very fun to see Mr. Darcy experience London in 2026. Sampson's version of Darcy doesn't quite match up with Austen's version, which is a complaint I've seen many other reviewers mention. Of course, Mr. Darcy being in London in 2026 is not a great thing considering there is now no Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice! This part of the plot kept me flipping the pages and I was so curious to see how it would all unfold.
However, like I mentioned, at around the 70-80% mark, it started to drag. I also was not a fan of Nick and Zoe's relationship as they didn't have any build-up, bonding, etc, prior to one sex fade-to-black scene (by the way, this is low spice, like one chili pepper). I just wish we got more Zoe and Nick getting to know each other. All in all, this is an interesting read. I'd still recommend you try it out because it's very unique.
This is a 2.5/5 for me, but it was a super close 3/5.
I loved the premise of this book. It is magical realism and those who know me know that I'm not the biggest fan of magical realism. But this plot was so enticing that I just had to try it out. The book started off really strong and if the last 20% was like the first 80%, this would've easily been a 3/5. However, in my opinion, I felt like the last 20% was rushed and didn't leave much room for character relationship development.
When Zoe steals a book from Nick, she accidentally brings Mr. Darcy into the real world. Throughout the first 40% of the book, it's very fun to see Mr. Darcy experience London in 2026. Sampson's version of Darcy doesn't quite match up with Austen's version, which is a complaint I've seen many other reviewers mention. Of course, Mr. Darcy being in London in 2026 is not a great thing considering there is now no Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice! This part of the plot kept me flipping the pages and I was so curious to see how it would all unfold.
However, like I mentioned, at around the 70-80% mark, it started to drag. I also was not a fan of Nick and Zoe's relationship as they didn't have any build-up, bonding, etc, prior to one sex fade-to-black scene (by the way, this is low spice, like one chili pepper). I just wish we got more Zoe and Nick getting to know each other. All in all, this is an interesting read. I'd still recommend you try it out because it's very unique.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson is an absolute cutie of a novel with just the right amount of chaos. It follows Zoe Night, who runs into a very grumpy bookstore owner, Nick, during a classic London rainstorm moment. Things go downhill immediately when she realizes his shop has zero romance novels. Not one. As an aspiring romance writer, Zoe is understandably horrified… and just a little dramatic about it. Naturally, she leaves with the only romance book in the store, a stolen copy of Pride and Prejudice, because priorities.
And then the story really leans in. Zoe accidentally summons Mr. Darcy into 2026 London, which sounds like a dream until it very quickly becomes everyone’s problem. Watching a famously reserved Regency man try to function in modern-day London is exactly as entertaining as it should be.
This book knows exactly what it is and fully commits. You get all the romance tropes in the best way, a little time travel chaos, an annoying ex who absolutely deserves side eye, and a soft, cinnamon roll-type love interest to balance it all out. It is light, fun, and low spice, with a plot that is definitely predictable but in that comforting, curl up with a coffee and don’t think too hard kind of way.
I also loved reading this without having previously read Pride and Prejudice, which honestly made it feel really accessible. That said, if you have read it, you are probably going to catch even more of the references and have an even better time.
Mark July 7 on your calendar because this one is practically begging to be your next summer weekend read.
And then the story really leans in. Zoe accidentally summons Mr. Darcy into 2026 London, which sounds like a dream until it very quickly becomes everyone’s problem. Watching a famously reserved Regency man try to function in modern-day London is exactly as entertaining as it should be.
This book knows exactly what it is and fully commits. You get all the romance tropes in the best way, a little time travel chaos, an annoying ex who absolutely deserves side eye, and a soft, cinnamon roll-type love interest to balance it all out. It is light, fun, and low spice, with a plot that is definitely predictable but in that comforting, curl up with a coffee and don’t think too hard kind of way.
I also loved reading this without having previously read Pride and Prejudice, which honestly made it feel really accessible. That said, if you have read it, you are probably going to catch even more of the references and have an even better time.
Mark July 7 on your calendar because this one is practically begging to be your next summer weekend read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As a fan of the movies Kate & Leopold and Lost in Austen, and the book Pride and Prejudice, this book sounded like a fun British rom-com by a new-to-me author.
What I liked: I liked the setting of the bookshop, the scene locations around London and England, and I believe Nick was a solid MMC. I enjoyed the interactions between FMC Zoe and Nick, and there was good tension in their meet-cute.
What I didn't like: I found the magic in the book to be unbelievable. I like magical realism, but the last 1/3rd of the book was ridiculous and it took me out of the story. I also felt like Darcy's personality was one-dimensional and I couldn't really get to know him as a character. The sexual references were over-the-top in frequency and cringy.
Overall impression: This was a zany adult rom-com for fans of Pride and Prejudice and other popular romance novels, but for me it lacked depth and believability and had too many sexual references.
Content Considerations: Moderate frequency of strong profanity (f--), many sexual references and innuendoes, one fade to black scene with some mild to moderate description, one other inference of intimacy occurring, one bi-sexual side character (implied, not explicit), several mentions of same-sex side characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My review is my own opinion and is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.
What I liked: I liked the setting of the bookshop, the scene locations around London and England, and I believe Nick was a solid MMC. I enjoyed the interactions between FMC Zoe and Nick, and there was good tension in their meet-cute.
What I didn't like: I found the magic in the book to be unbelievable. I like magical realism, but the last 1/3rd of the book was ridiculous and it took me out of the story. I also felt like Darcy's personality was one-dimensional and I couldn't really get to know him as a character. The sexual references were over-the-top in frequency and cringy.
Overall impression: This was a zany adult rom-com for fans of Pride and Prejudice and other popular romance novels, but for me it lacked depth and believability and had too many sexual references.
Content Considerations: Moderate frequency of strong profanity (f--), many sexual references and innuendoes, one fade to black scene with some mild to moderate description, one other inference of intimacy occurring, one bi-sexual side character (implied, not explicit), several mentions of same-sex side characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My review is my own opinion and is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.
February 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
2.5⭐️
Most Ardently Yours follows Zoe, who is an aspiring author and avid reader who one day meets her dream book boyfriend - Darcy Fitzwilliams from Pride and Prejudice. Zoe is determined to keep him - but when Nick, the owner of Baskerville Books finds out what has happened, Zoe realizes she’s in a lot more trouble then she thought.
This book was interesting. Magical Realism can be a hit or miss for me in a book, and unfortunately I would have to say this one was a miss. I get the overall picture of the book I just felt like it was too far from realism. I personally just wasn’t a fan of how all of her friends didn’t really question her when she told the truth about Darcy - I feel like there should have been more detail about that part.
I will also add I really wasn’t a fan of the main character, Zoe. I found her to be a bit annoying and just so similar to every other character who is a book lover and wants to be author. It’s always the same - someone tells her she’s not good enough and then she stops writing, u till she falls in love and then they tell her she’s good. It just feels like is so similar to other stories.
The story had some interesting parts and well thought out pieces, but it just felt like something was missing to me. I think if Zoe was maybe more different than so many other characters and had a bit more unique take on herself and her writing it would have made the book stand out more.
2.5⭐️
Most Ardently Yours follows Zoe, who is an aspiring author and avid reader who one day meets her dream book boyfriend - Darcy Fitzwilliams from Pride and Prejudice. Zoe is determined to keep him - but when Nick, the owner of Baskerville Books finds out what has happened, Zoe realizes she’s in a lot more trouble then she thought.
This book was interesting. Magical Realism can be a hit or miss for me in a book, and unfortunately I would have to say this one was a miss. I get the overall picture of the book I just felt like it was too far from realism. I personally just wasn’t a fan of how all of her friends didn’t really question her when she told the truth about Darcy - I feel like there should have been more detail about that part.
I will also add I really wasn’t a fan of the main character, Zoe. I found her to be a bit annoying and just so similar to every other character who is a book lover and wants to be author. It’s always the same - someone tells her she’s not good enough and then she stops writing, u till she falls in love and then they tell her she’s good. It just feels like is so similar to other stories.
The story had some interesting parts and well thought out pieces, but it just felt like something was missing to me. I think if Zoe was maybe more different than so many other characters and had a bit more unique take on herself and her writing it would have made the book stand out more.
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